Experts Speak

March 5, 2018
Aura to fly in 2018
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Our military’s requirement of UAVs has suffered past several years because of lack of industrial expertise, combined with delays and cost overruns.
March 5, 2018
ICV procurement approved
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
On January 20, 2018, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cleared the proposal for procurement of 156 infantry combat vehicles (ICVs) to meet the requirement of the mechanized infantry and troops for rapid deployment.
February 19, 2018
PM Modi’s West Asian outreach
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Palestine, the UAE and Oman, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, while briefing media had outlined that the visit would be of strategic importance in terms of energy and security...
February 19, 2018
Mujahids to fuel Indo-Pak border more?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
As per recent reports, Pakistan is deploying several battalions of its Mujahid Regiment, along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) to infiltrate terrorists and target Indian security forces. According to intelligence sources, these Mujahid battalions are 641, 647, 654 and 655.
February 19, 2018
JeM attacks rouse MoD
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Continuing terrorist attacks, especially the recent ISI-backed JeM terrorist attack of Sunjwan Army Camp in Jammu appears to have roused the MoD into action. The Ministry okayed 1,487 cr to boost the security of Army camps on Saturday, February 12 - same day as the terrorist attack on Sunjwan Army Camp...
February 19, 2018
Terrorist attack on Sunjwan military camp
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
On February 10, 2018, the army camp at Sunjwan in Jammu was attacked by JeM terrorists in early hours of the morning. Sneaking in, the terrorists entered family quarters of Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and firing began at 5 AM. The encounter continued over three days resulting in the death of five army personnel including two JCOs, and seven injured including civilians. Three terrorists were killed.
February 19, 2018
The Faux Pas in Maldives
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
The strategic importance of Maldives to India needs no emphasis; located in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives archipelago comprising 1,200 coral islands lies next to key shipping lanes which ensure uninterrupted energy supplies to countries like China, Japan and India. But happenings in the recent past indicate, Maldives has been sucked into the gravitational pull of China, away from India, just like Nepal.
February 19, 2018
Perimeter security of military establishments
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Post the terrorist attack on IAF’s Patahnkot airbase on January 2, 2016, the MoD had appointed a committee headed by Lt Gen Phillip Campose, then Vice Chief of Army Staff, to review the security set-up for the military bases and suggest ways to improve it. The Committee found gaping holes in the security set up of many installations and submitted its report to the then Defence Minister in May 2016.
February 6, 2018
Our views of Defence Budget 2018-19
Lt General V K Kapoor (Retd), Editor - SP’s Land Forces
February 5, 2018
Indo-ASEAN relations – Get strategic boost
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Republic Day 2018 was unique and very special with 10 leaders of ASEAN nations gracing the occasion with ASEAN completing 50 years of its formation and India completing 25 years of India-ASEAN partnership that commenced in 1992.
February 5, 2018
Artificial Intelligence in Defence
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
The next level of strategic cooperation between India and Japan has become apparent with the news that India and Japan are to work together to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics in the defence sector.
February 5, 2018
ISIS caboodle – Headed which way?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Call it ISIS, ISIL or Islamic State, the organization continues to maintain the top spot as the most dangerous terrorist organization of the world. Over 40 militant groups alleged allegiance to ISIS. These include the Boko Haram of Nigeria and the Tehrik-i-Talban (TTP) of Pakistan ranked the 4 and 6 respectively in the global ranking of the most dangerous terrorist organizations.
February 5, 2018
India in Australia Group – Looking at NSG
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
January 19, 2018 saw India becoming a member of the Australia Group. The Australia Group restricts trade in materials used to make chemical and biological weapons.
February 5, 2018
Coming – Long range BrahMos
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
When India successfully test-fired its nuclear capable Agni-V ICBM on January 18 this year, China had made no official statement, but after the December 2016 Agni-V test China had stated it hoped India's testing of the nuclear-capable Agni-V ICBM...
February 3, 2018
Defence Budget 2018-2019
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Defence Budget for 2018-2019 stands at 2,96,511.41 cr (1.58 per cent of GDP).
January 24, 2018
Strategic development of Chabahar Port – And its implications
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
The trilateral engagement between India, Iran and Afghanistan during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Iran in May 2016 expanded avenues of trade...
January 24, 2018
India enters Wassenaar Arrangement
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
India was admitted to the Wassenaar Arrangement on December 8, 2017. Following completion of internal procedures for joining the Arrangement...
January 19, 2018
Visit of Israeli Prime Minister
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's six-day visit to India has very smoothly taken India-Israel relations to the next level.
January 19, 2018
Agni V raises Chinese concerns
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
India successfully has test-fired its nuclear capable Agni-V ICBM from the Abdul Kalam island, off the coast of Odisha, on January 18. This 17m long ICBM with a payload of 1.5 tons, can transport a fusion-boosted fission weapon - nuclear device.
January 19, 2018
China's aggressive moves – Will persist
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat stated on January 12, 2018 that focus of the Army will shift to the country's border in the north as opposed to the long-standing focus on the western border.
January 19, 2018
Assault Rifles, Carbines coming
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
On January 16, 2018 the defence acquisitin council (DAC) headed by the Defence Minister, has cleared fast-track procurement of 72,400 assault rifles and 93,850 carbines for 3,547 cr from the global market.
January 19, 2018
ISRO's centurion leap
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd)
ISRO launched its 100th satellite in space on January 12, 2018 as its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C40) successfully placed 31 satellites in two different orbits in one of the longest missions.